Today’s woman is more knowledgeable and conscientious than ever about the risks of breast cancer. This is especially true for women over 40 years of age, who have crossed the threshold of increased risk of breast cancer.
Age is so important to the development of breast cancer that about 76% of women who develop it have no other risk factors other than age. However, all women, regardless of age or race, need to acknowledge the risk of developing it. All women are at risk.
Risk Factors
Women who have never smoked a day in their entire lives can develop breast cancer. Women who have been always been health conscious can also develop it. In fact, nearly one woman out of eleven will experience breast cancer. A staggering statistic by anybody’s standards!
An estimated 211,000 new cases of breast cancer were diagnosed this past year. Even with the increased awareness programs, early detection through annual mammography screening and instruction for self-examination, breast cancer remains a leading cause of death for women.
Breast cancer, like other forms of cancer, is a disease of the cells. In all, there are about fifteen different types of breast cancer. Some are more serious than others, but the one common factor each share is that neither the cause nor the cure has been found.
There are four recognized developmental stages of breast cancer:
